First Monday Memo

February 2, 2026

Greetings!

February gives us an important opportunity to pause and focus on healthy relationships, especially for the young people in our lives. This month is Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month, and it’s a time to start conversations, ask questions, and remind teens—and adults—that no one deserves to feel controlled, isolated, or unsafe in a relationship.

The reality is sobering: 1 in 4 teens who have been in a relationship report that their partner tried to prevent them from seeing friends or family, and 1.5 million teenagers in the U.S. have experienced dating violence. These numbers matter, not to scare us, but to underscore how critical it is that young people receive accurate information, supportive adults, and clear messages about consent, respect, and healthy boundaries. It’s also a moment to remind those who have experienced dating violence that they are not alone.

Ending gender-based violence requires all of us—and that includes the active engagement of men and boys. Historically, they have not always been centered in this work, but their participation is essential. When men and boys are part of the conversation, they can play a powerful role in challenging harmful norms and helping build healthier, more equitable relationships.

This month, we invite you to check out our training calendar, which is now loaded with opportunities through the summer. We’re offering workshops for both teens and adults, and we encourage you to attend or share these opportunities with your networks, schools, and communities.

Also in this issue, you’ll find an overview of the legislation we’re currently tracking at the Iowa Legislature that impacts adolescents and our work. A huge thank you to Sydney Bellinghausen and Lazarus Winklepleck from our Youth Advisory Cohort for helping track these bills and for creating the beautiful graphic included here. Youth voice continues to be a vital part of our advocacy and education work.

As always, thank you for being part of this community and for showing up for Iowa’s young people.

Support for the Fetal Development Video Requirement (SF175)

As schools across Iowa work to comply with the new fetal development video requirement (SF175), EyesOpenIowa is here to help. We consulted with Iowa OB/GYN doctors and national partners and recommend two scientifically accurate, classroom-appropriate options that meet the law’s requirements: National Geographic’s Pregnancy 101 and Britannica’s How an Embryo Develops into a Fetus.

Additional guidance and resources are available on our website and EOI staff are available to provide technical assistance and answer questions as you plan.

Teen & Parent Sessions

Spend the day connecting and leave with a $50 VISA gift card for every participant!

Linking Families and Teens (LiFT) Family Retreat Events

Dates: April 11, 2026 (Des Moines) or April 18, 2026 (Sioux City)

Time: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM CT

Format: In person (see registration links for location details)

Cost: FREE. Registration required for each teen and adult

Audience: Teens ages 13–19 and their supportive adults (parents, caregivers, grandparents, another trusted adult role) attend together as pairs.

LiFT is a fun, interactive retreat for teens and their trusted adults who want to communicate better about relationships, values, and sexual health without awkwardness or stress. Through games, guided conversations, and hands-on activities, families build stronger connections and gain practical tools for talking about tough topics with confidence and care.

Expect a relaxed, welcoming environment, plenty of laughter, and real-life skills you can actually use. This retreat is affirming for all families, including LGBTQ+ households, and designed to meet teens and adults right where they are. Lunch and snacks are provided, and every teen and every adult who attends receives a $50 VISA gift card just for participating.

Adult Workshop Series

If you loved our menopause sessions… buckle up. You’re going to love thise as well!

Grown-Up Sex Ed

Date: Thursday, May 21, 2026 Time: 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM CT

Format: In-person (EyesOpenIowa Training Hall, West Des Moines) or Virtual Cost: $30

In this upbeat, no-shame workshop, sex educator and trainer Val Cumming is here to spill the tea on all the sex ed topics we should’ve learned but didn’t. We’ll talk about real stuff like consent, birth control, STI testing, how and when to use condoms, and navigating awkward (but important!) convos with partners and providers. It’s the perfect mix of “Ohhh, that makes sense now” and “Wait… why did no one ever teach me this?” Expect laughs, lightbulb moments, and a whole lot of useful info to take into your real life. You’ll leave smarter, more confident, and better equipped.

🚀 2026 Is Here:

Let’s Raise the Bar

for Sex Ed!

Whether you're stepping into the classroom for the first time or you're the go-to resource in your community, this is your moment to level up. Our signature trainings are not just professional development, they're transformative experiences that will boost your confidence, deepen your expertise, and reignite your passion for teaching sexual health.

Join a vibrant community of like-minded professionals who believe that quality sex ed can change lives. We’ve got the tools. We’ve got the expert trainers. All we need is you!

➡️ Seats are limited and fill fast; register now to claim your spot!

🔥 Core In-Person Trainings for 2026

✨ Awkward to Awesome & Sex Ed Staples

Our two most popular trainings, Awkward to Awesome and Sex Ed Staples, are designed to be taken together as a two-day, in-person learning experience.

Awkward to Awesome: Core Skills

Build your confidence as an educator. Master awkward moments, answer sensitive questions, clarify values, and establish inclusive boundaries.

Sex Ed Staples: Core Content

Deepen your knowledge on essential sex ed topics like anatomy, contraception, consent, healthy relationships, and more.

📅 Spring Session: March 30–31, 2026

📅 Summer Session: June 29–30, 2026

📍 In-person at EyesOpenIowa in West Des Moines, Iowa

💰 $200 per person, per session. Both are required for Certified Sexual Health Educator (CSHE) certification.

⚠️ Unmasking Crisis Pregnancy Centers

🗓️ February 18, 2026 | ⏰ 9:00–11:00 AM CT

💻 Virtual | 💰 $75

Crisis Pregnancy Centers (CPCs) are operating in communities across the country and presenting themselves as legitimate clinics, yet many are unlicensed, medically misleading, and driven by agendas rooted in shame and control. This training, first presented at the 2025 Healthy Teen Network Conference to rave reviews, is essential for anyone working with young people or those navigating pregnancy decisions. Created and led by EOI’s Training Coordinator Val Cumming, this session explores how CPCs exploit purity culture, distort facts, and manipulate emotions to delay or prevent access to real healthcare.

💬 Ongoing Virtual Learning

🍽️ Lunch-N-Learn Series

Quick, engaging, and FREE of charge! These 30-minute virtual sessions run at 12:00 PM and 6:00 PM CT on the first Tuesday of each month. Led by Val Cumming, these bite-sized trainings cover emerging and essential topics in the sex ed field.

🗓️ March 3 – Beyond the Birds & Bees: Reframing Sex Ed as Lifelong Health Education

Sex ed is not a one-time conversation, it’s a lifelong learning process. In this session, we’ll reframe sexuality education as a foundation for lifelong health and wellbeing. From puberty to parenting, sexual health to communication skills, we’ll examine the broad impact of quality sex ed and how to communicate that value to parents, schools, and communities.

🗓️ April 7 – Teaching with Trauma in Mind

Explore how trauma, past or ongoing, shapes the classroom experience. This session offers practical, strengths-based strategies for trauma-informed teaching, including how to balance student safety with curriculum fidelity.

🗓️ May 5 – The Hidden Curriculum: What Students Learn Beyond the Lesson Plan

You’re teaching more than just content. This session helps educators recognize and intentionally shape the hidden messages young people receive around gender, power, pleasure, and more.

🗓️ June 2 – Sex Ed as Social Justice

Sexual health education is a tool for equity. Learn how to incorporate a justice lens into your lessons and promote liberation, not just information.

🧠 Sex Ed Starts at Home Series

Held at 12:00–12:30 PM CT on the third Thursday of each month, this series gives parents real tools and real talk for raising sexually healthy kids. Led by Emily Gillon, licensed therapist, master trainer, and parent, each session is practical, relatable, and free to attend.

🗓️ February 19 – Where Do Babies Come From? Exactly What to Say (and How Much)

Whether your kid asks out of the blue or you’re just ready to start the conversation, this session gives you age-appropriate, shame-free ways to talk about where babies come from. We’ll share language for kids ages 3 to 9, five sample scripts you can try at home, and tips for staying calm and confident.

🗓️ March 19 – Technology and Sexually Explicit Material: Protecting and Preparing Your Tweens and Teens

Curious what your tween might accidentally (or intentionally) stumble across online? This session offers practical tips on talking to kids about sexually explicit content in a way that’s age-appropriate and shame-free, while giving parents tools to set boundaries and build trust.

🗓️ April 16 – Resource Rundown: Some of Our Favorite Tools for Parents

We’ve tried them all so you don’t have to! This session shares our favorite books, websites, social media accounts, and conversation tools that make talking about sex and relationships with kids a little easier—and a lot less awkward.

🗓️ May 21 – Fostering a Space for Conversations Around Sexual Health

Not sure how to even start the conversation? We’ll explore how to create an open, trusting family environment where questions about sex, relationships, and bodies are always welcome.

🗓️ June 18 – Summertime Sadness: Mental Health Tips for Children and Teens

Long summer days can bring mental health challenges to the surface. Learn signs of stress, depression, and anxiety in youth, and about how to support their emotional wellbeing over the summer months.